CaSSIS

Creotech Instruments S.A. has completed the SMT assembly of the power converter module of the protoflight model for the CaSSIS stereo imager. The module was ordered by the PAS Space Research Centre who is a member of the industrial consortium constructing the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.

The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) is a part of the scientific instrumentation payload of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter for the ExoMars mission.

CaSSIS is a high-resolution camera for acquiring colour and stereoscopic images of Mars surface features possibly related to sources of trace gases, and aiming at better understanding the range of geological or, possibly biological, processes under the planet surface, the gases emissions might be caused by. The NOMAD and ACS instrumentation of the orbiter, will identify sources of trace gases that could be evidence of a biological or geological activity.

CaSSIS is located on the Mars-surface-facing side of the orbiter. The location of the cameras on the spacecraft is presented in the figure below.

ExoMars is a large Roscosmos-ESA Mars mission to search for biosignatures of past and present Martian life. The mission consists of four space platforms:

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli EDM Lander are to be launched onboard the Proton launch vehicle in 2016. ExoMars Rover Lander and ExoMars Rover are scheduled for launch onboard another Proton in 2018.

Location of the imager on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Credit: ESA/University of Bern.